Figure 3

Propofol attenuates isoflurane-induced caspase-3 activation in brain tissues of mice. A. Western blot shows that treatment of 1.4% isoflurane for six hours (lane 7–9) induces caspase-3 activation as compared to the control condition (lane 1–3). Propofol treatment alone (lane 4–6) does not induce caspase-3 activation as compared to the control condition (lane 1–3), but propofol treatment attenuates isoflurane-induced caspase-3 activation (lane 11–12) as compared to isoflurane treatment (lane 7–9). B. Quantification of the Western blot shows that isoflurane (black bar) induces caspase-3 activation as compared to the control condition (white bar): 1.33 versus 1.00 fold (** P = 0.01). Propofol treatment (net bar) attenuates isoflurane-induced caspase-3 activation as compared to isoflurane treatment (black bar): 1.20 versus 1.33 fold (# P = 0.02) in mouse brain tissues.